Worrying that you might be on the wrong track is a waste of time

If you're sure you're taking the wrong path, that's one thing. When you know for sure, then you owe it to yourself to change paths. But when you are enjoying the path you're on, and you just have some small niggling doubts, why spend the energy worrying? Remember Alfred E. Neuman's famous words of wisdom: "What, me worry?" Besides, when you're on an enjoyable path, how could that be the wrong one for you? As long as you're applying yourself to an enjoyable course of study, you should stay with it.

The concept of "wasted time" is also a waste of time. Because very few endeavors that you embark on are truly wasted time, even endeavors that get dropped along the way without reaching the original intended conclusion. Because it's by trying stuff that we learn. I hope that simple concept has been sufficiently explained. Because I don't want to waste a lot of time harping on it.

Programming vs. Art

Which of those two should you study instead of the course you're already enjoying, you asked. Johnny, you gotta be kidding. The real question is, are you passionate about -- and good at -- either one of them? If you were passionate about programming and knew you'd enjoy a programming course of study more than the one you're in now, then it'd be right to switch. If you were artistically inclined and knew you'd get more enjoyment from an art program than the one you're in now, then it'd be right to switch.

But if you aren't already filling up your hard drive with algorithms and routines and programs or graphical environments or characters or vehicles and objects, then what makes you think you'd be better off studying one of those subjects instead of the course you're in now? Don't allow yourself to get sidetracked by red herring questions like this. Programming and art aren't the only kinds of jobs in games.

Game Design degrees

So-called game design degrees haven't yet reached the status of being required in the industry. For one thing, there's a problem in that game programming schools call their degrees "game design" when their degrees are really game programming degrees. Game art schools call their degrees "game design" when their degrees are really game art degrees. These degree programs are all young yet. This overly simplistic approach (everybody calling their degrees "game design") is bound to go away as the educational process of games matures.

Another reason they're not yet required is that the vast majority of people in the industry have non-game degrees. And there aren't any academic standards in place yet that fall in line with what the industry needs. An employer who looks at a game degree on your résumé has no way of knowing if you really learned anything that the game industry needs its applicants to know. Someday, when older industry people have been largely replaced by today's students, and academic standards are in line with industry needs, then we'll see a heightened increase in the expectation that new candidates will have studied games in school.

Those courses that you think you'll never use

Later in life you'll be glad you studied French. Or Chinese, or Russian, or even Latin. Knowledge of other languages comes in useful at unexpected times. You'll just have to trust me on this one.

It's funny that Johnny mentioned psychology. Psychology is everything! Effective game design depends on understanding the psychology of the users, and in order to be effective in his job, the game designer needs to understand the psychology of his coworkers, his boss, and other parties involved in the project. In fact, just about all majors include psychology as a requirement, and for good reason. Psychology is about understanding what makes people tick - including oneself. People are everywhere on this planet, and no matter what career you go into, you're going to have to deal with people.

Even philosophy is important. If not for working in games, then for living on this planet. You'll meet people with many different attitudes and approaches to life, and you'll need to deal with them and make choices about your own approach to life. An educated choice is better than one that someone else hands you.

You'll be glad that you know a smattering of biology, of political studies, of algebra and geometry (you will never get away from algebra and geometry - you'll need to use them your entire life!), of economics, of literature and mythology and music appreciation. You may even find yourself using these "useless" topics directly in game design. You might work on a game based on mythological beings, or you might need to design a balanced governmental system in a sim, or you might have to design the A.I. (the psychology of behavior) of a new species of living organism.

And besides, the more formal and broad education you get, the more you'll be able to "get" a lot more of those throwaway lines in The Simpsons that you didn't get when you were a high school kid. Oh, wait. You are a high school kid. I guess you'll just have to trust me on these too.

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